Good afternoon, Madam Chair and members of the committee.

My name is Carla Neto. I appear before this committee representing Women's Habitat of Etobicoke, a feminist multiservice organization serving victims and survivors of gender-based violence and their children since 1978.

We operate in two distinct service locations: a 25-bed emergency shelter for women and children escaping violence and an outreach centre that works with impacted women, many of whom are still living with abusive partners.

It would be remiss of me if I didn't mention that in recent years we have seen an increase in women escaping intimate partner violence as well as human trafficking. Both locations support women to assess risk, develop safety plans, and offer trauma-informed crisis and ongoing counselling, referrals and advocacy to essential services, such as housing, health care, legal services, and parenting programs, as well as prevention and leadership programming for boys and girls.

We thank you for inviting us to appear as part of this panel of witnesses. We commend you on your efforts to further study this matter of coercive behaviour.

Historically, much emphasis has been placed on physically aggressive acts in intimate partner violence. In doing so, we lack the broader context of relationships and miss the opportunity to see the role and impact of non-physical violence. Although we can't say that coercive control and behaviour will always eventually result in physical abuse, it is fair to say that in our experience in working with victims and survivors of abuse, all physical abuse was preceded by and will continue to include coercive behaviour.

Coercive behaviour occurs within the context of complex dynamics in intimate partner relationships when one partner exerts power and control over the other. Coercive behaviour is action taken to force, manipulate or intimidate someone into doing something against their will. It is harder to identify by family and friends, and it involves the use of threats, pressure and force to control another person's actions. Unlike overt physical violence, coercive behaviour can be subtle and often involves emotional, psychological or social manipulation. That is the reason we often regard coercive controlling behaviour as being invisible chains that restrain victims of both intimate partner violence and human trafficking.

Some victims and survivors of coercive controlling behaviour describe their experiences as living under a constant, never-ending threat. Others describe feeling like captives trapped in plain sight. Those of us who are survivors of war recognize some of the same psychological effects and impacts in the victims and survivors of coercive controlling behaviour.

Coercive controlling behaviour in intimate partner violence has two main components: the coercion and the control. Coercion can be the use of force or threats of physical aggression to alter the victim's behaviour. Control is used to compel obedience by the victim by monopolizing vital resources, dictating preferred choices, limiting options and depriving the victim of essential supports needed to exercise a level of independence. Some of the examples include threats of intimidation, isolation, manipulation, monitoring, surveillance, control of finances and emotional abuse.

Coercive behaviour is often used in abusive relationships, workplaces and other power dynamics where the goal is to dominate and reduce the victim's autonomy.

Finally, we assert that strategies and efforts to address coercive behaviour require a comprehensive multi-level approach that involves various stakeholders, including individuals, institutions and communities. These would include legal protections and enforcement, whereby governments and lawmakers create and strengthen laws to criminalize coercive behaviour; education and public awareness campaigns; supports for non-profit organizations and NGOs; and schools and educational institutions where students can be taught about healthy relationships.

There should also be meaningful funding for services supporting victims and survivors; training for professionals; perpetrator rehabilitation and accountability mechanisms; financial support for victims and survivors; empowerment of communities like religious leaders, friends, families and neighbours; and developing technology and digital solutions that keep victims protected from surveillance, tracking and harassment.

It involves promoting research and developing policy on coercive behaviour to understand its effects and develop evidence-based interventions.

Once again, I express our thanks and appreciation for your invitation to participate in this very important conversation.

I too am available to answer questions. Thank you.